Are channel cats undesirable?

[leather]

Channel cats can reach over 3' in length, and really make good pets. they can be trained, show a diverse range of personalities, and are very hardy. They also eat a large range of foods. They are rather beefy fish, and require alot of room and excellent filtration. I have one in my tank that is about 12" now, about a year old. He's a little skittish, but is starting to grow out of it now. Very pretty fish, looks like a shark patrolling the tank. I've been working on training him to eat worms out of my hand, but my dang pumkinseed alway's snatches them before he gets there.
Any specific questions you have?

Thats pretty much what I was asking. I would like to keep one or two and grow them out to about 2'. If they would be interesting to keep. At that point they would be ready for my pond. What temperature are you running?

 

[CatfishLuver]

I have three also. They are all 8 in and growing out to move to my future pond I am about to make. The pond is probably just going to be dedicated to them, so they will have it all to themselves. I am just starting to break them of there skittishness, and they are getting alot more friendly, I just love to watch them, they are some of my favorite fish. As for temp they can take anything. I keep them unheated in my basement so the temp varies from 60-65 in the winter to 75 in the summer. If I had a choice I would heat the tanks, but I dont have enough heaters. When they where small and all in one tank I had the tank at 85f (as they grow their absolute fastest in that temp). You can definitely tell the difference in behavior as the temp changes. It is just starting to warm up here after winter and they are getting soooo much more active. I am really excited to see there growth rates take off again!

 

[Rivershark]

I like to fish for and eat channel cats as well as keep them in aquariums. Does that seem wrong?

Anyway, I had an albino that I bought from my LFS and a regular that I caught. They made for a couple of really interesting and active fish that also got along with my Jag cichlid. When the time came to move them out of the tank I released them into our pond. Cool fish.